Well, I don't think this is true. I get the joke, I get the humor... and I understand some idiots do buy shit they don't need, or buy it because they think it makes them look "cool".
But there are also very savvy consumers who like to stay on the bleeding edge, and like their productivity devices to be as quick as possible and fully functional.
"Need" is hard to quantify. Technically we don't need anything more than the roof over heads, food, and water. We don't
need to be anything other than cavemen.
Here's my philosophy; I have a great appreciation for the advancements of technology. I really wish I could live to see the year 3000... the technology... it would simply be unbelievable. But all I can have is what's here within our lifetime, and I want to get the most of it. If you have the attitude of "well, I've got this tin can... and the string still works fine... and I can still hear everyone clearly... so why upgrade?" IMO you're not getting as much out of life as you could be. You're not experiencing the fruits of our limited time spent here on earth.
The other thing is that your carrier bill never goes away. You're always technically paying for the latest and greatest, but you're not able to utilize it unless you throw down for that handset upgrade. How much does AT&T spend to upgrade from HSPA+ to LTE? Billions. You're paying for that no matter what. Why not get the most out of what you're paying for?
You can sell your old handset and upgrade for $50-$100. Small price to pay.
